One of the problems in living within an hour or so of Washington DC is the guilt associated with not taking full advantage of the cultural opportunities available in the city. I can blame a lot on the difficulty in getting there from here, and I can blame a lot more on the Bay Bridge (voted one of the scariest in the country), but the real blame lays either in my laziness, or the fact that I really like where I am. The point is that it takes a visit from out-of-towners, or out-of-countriers to force me to get to that city of museums and concerts and what all else. So yesterday, it was Take the French to DC day. To the Lincoln Memorial (my personal favorite), to the Vietnam War Memorial, to the Korean War Memorial, to the WWII Memorial. To Arlington to visit the grave of Omar Bradley. To the Airforce Memorial. To the Air and Space Museum. Guitar opportunities were somewhat limited in most of those places, I have to say, and I was looking. I did not give up hope, however, and finally…. I have no idea what a space popper is supposed to do…but they have the Shuttle on them…

By the way, the winner of the Air Guitar Championship in Oulu, Finland? An American. It turns out he wins a real guitar…handmade in Finland. Kansas native Eric “Mean” Melin walks away with an amazing addition to his resume, and a transparent handmade “Flying Finn” guitar. Read more here: http://yle.fi/uutiset/us_airheads_rule_at_air_guitar_world_championships/6792690